Donald R. Looper

Member

1300 Post Oak Blvd. Suite 2000
Houston, Texas 77056
T: (713) 986-7000
F: (713) 986-7100

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Donald Looper’s practice focuses on the tax aspects related to partnership, corporate, and international transactions. His skills for structuring and managing international business transactions have resulted in Mr. Looper being selected by clients to manage international projects negotiated in 33 foreign countries and across the United States. Among his areas of expertise include U.S. and U.N. regulatory sanctions against foreign jurisdictions and designated nationals. The 1994 case of Looper v. Morgan, upholding his measures to protect the client’s privileged work product and communications, stemmed from Mr. Looper’s responsibilities to manage an international refinery and marketing acquisition while complying with international sanctions against Libya.

Area of Practice

• Corporate
• International Law
• Taxation

Recent News

• Sixteen Looper Reed & McGraw Attorneys Selected as Texas Super Lawyers
  September 16, 2009
• Don Looper Drills into the Thick of Major Global Energy Deals
  July 10, 2009
• Looper Appointed to Advisory Committee for Australia/America Energy Conference
  June 30, 2009

Representative Experience

• Offshore exploration licenses in Bahamas and Operating Agreements between BPC, Ltd, an AIM company, and Statoil Hydro.
• Structured oil exploration company Energy XXI, Limited, a public Bermuda company, publicly traded in London and NASDAQ.
• Structured Katana Energy International, private Bermuda company owning U.S. and foreign oil and gas interests; Kuwait investment fund and U.S. shareholders.
• Coil tubing project, joint venture between WSI Services in U.S. and China National Petroleum Company.
• Acquisition of refinery in Hamburg, Germany from Esso; included separate acquisition of 85 km pipeline and interest in deep water terminal.
• Structured acquisition of Gdansk refinery from Polish government.
• Transaction with Ministry of Public Health in China to use technology to conduct thermal imaging breast cancer exams.
• Investigated breach of construction contract in Uganda, negotiated resolution.
• Sale of international petroleum product marketing company in Egypt.
• Formed numerous offshore companies for international operations in Panama, Cayman Islands, Trinidad, Bermuda, Isle of Man, and Cyprus.
• Barter transactions, including European construction workers for oil using escrow.
• License applications to United Nations and OFAC related to sanctions.
• Mergers and corporate divisions, including CPC Mexico pipe manufacturing.

• Represented Capital Alliance, a public REIT in California; tax advice and served on the board of AMEX REIT for several years.

Professional Activities, Memberships & Affiliations

• Licensed to practice law in Colorado in 1979, Texas in 1981.
• Licensed in U.S. District Court (Southern District); U.S. Court of Appeals (5th Circuit); U.S. Tax Court.

Education

• 1974 - B.B.A., University of Texas at Austin, with honors and with a major in Accounting
• 1976 - Master of Professional Accounting, Tax Specialization, University of Texas at Austin
• 1979 - J.D., University of Houston, Cum Laude

Honors

• Selected as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly and Law & Politics magazine, 2005-2009.